Burkina Faso: UN chief condemns deadly attack on northern town, 80 reported dead

According to media reports, the civilian convoy was being escorted by subject police, erstwhile it was attacked by Islamist militants.

As good arsenic the scores of radical killed, respective others were wounded. 

Government and subject sources reportedly declared that 59 civilians, six pro-Government militiamen and 15 subject constabulary were slaughtered portion information forces said that 80 militants were besides murdered.

Bring perpetrators to justice

Via a connection released connected Thursday by the Secretary-General’s Associate Spokesperson, Eri Kaneko, Mr. Guterres expressed his heavy interest astatine the unit orchestrated by extremist groups successful the Liptako-Gourma area, and his calls for the Burkinabé authorities to “spare nary effort successful identifying and swiftly bringing the perpetrators to justice.”

The connection added that Mr. Guterres conveys his condolences to the bereaved families and wishes a speedy betterment to the injured.

He besides reiterated the solidarity of the United Nations with the Government and radical of Burkina Faso and the Sahelian countries “in their efforts to antagonistic and forestall coercion and convulsive extremism, beforehand societal cohesion and execute sustainable development”.

Growing incursions

The battle took spot astatine a clip of rising Islamist attacks successful Burkina Faso, which has forced record-breaking numbers of radical from their homes. 

In July the UN exile bureau (UNHCR) reported that astir 11,000 Burkinabé asylum seekers were successful neighbouring Niger, up from 7,400 astatine the commencement of the year.

However, instability stretches beyond the country’s borders: the apical UN counter-terrorism official, Vladimir Voronkov, warned connected Thursday that the alleged “Islamic State successful the Greater Sahara” has dispersed relentlessly crossed the African continent, sidesplitting respective 100 civilians since the commencement of 2021 successful Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.